Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

I just try and stay away from the repeater wars. Ive always been a simplex guy, reason i just let my V/Uhf just scan all day. I only respond if some one needs help, random call out or some one i care to talk to. Its plastered on the rear of my tacoma i listen to 146.52 as i go down the road...and have APRS on..

Since becoming a General, i spend less time on V/Uhf...

 

We have a Yeasu repeater on the air and eventually it will be internet linked as soon as we move it to the new location. It does "Wires", analog and C4FM. The Yeasu C4FM is a standard protocol nothing involving software licensing as the other types are. I my case I don’t care one way or the other it is a club unit the ARES guys are using the digital side to do point to point with other C4FM repeaters and they like it. I can say the audio is very good much better than analog but annoying to those with analog only radios! The C4FM does allow digital data pictures etc. I guess every manufacture has their own ideal and of course in their eyes it the best so I doubt there will ever be a one size fits all that doesn’t sell their radios. As far as the repeater it is very nice my only complaint is the controller it lacks a lot. The programing is touch screen, nice feature I had it on the air in about 10 minutes even if it was only used analog I would buy one if I need another repeater it beats the snot out of an old commercial radio modded for the armature bands. I'm pretty sure Alinco uses the Dstar protocol.

 

I used to do the same on my rear window and guys would call me all the time. Any chance you have a pic of that? I need some inspiration!

 

Where did you get the palmetto and gorget sticker? That one's cool.

 

Negative. None of the ham vendor's digital modes are compatible. Haha.

• Kenwood (NXDN),
• ICOM (DSTAR),
• Yaesu (C4FM),
• Alinco. (digital mode is described as: Digital GMSK Modulation, 4800bps, Protocol: ITU-TV.32.)

You might as well add these into the incompatibility list...

• P25
• MotoTRBO

Here are some folks discussing the Alinco back in April 2014.

Nice stickers Ben! I just ordered a 146.520 that I had made.

 

Ha, I was one of the first members at Off Road Hams when there were only about 5 guys on 7.225! Haven't been on in awhile like so many popular nets I'm afraid I'll fall asleep before they get back around to me with 20+ people checking in. You ever tried the net logger program? I leave it up to the other hams to try and find what frequency I'm on I do scan the simplex freqs. and have my call sign in the back window but I could be any where from 160 to UHF.

 

New HT coming Spring of 2015

 

Actually DSTAR is GMSK, just with a custom vocoder. You can feed an Alinco radio with the data board audio that has been ran through a PC with a DV Dongle (To add the data stream and encode the voice) and it works just fine.

Kenwood is now producing a DMR radio in addition to NXDN. It's EXPENSIVE.

Type D NXDN (Which Kenwood makes too) is basically commercial D-Star.


My problem with DMR... It sounds fantastic, but due to the nature of the beast (It is designed for non-radio people) It's not really the be all end all it's touted to be. I believe the current love for DMR is that it is a easy concept to wrap your head around. It's channelized operation and not complicated to get into. You don't even have to really program your radio. Someone will email you a codeplug for your rig.

(Programming a Motorola, well if you're legit, it's going to cost you a subscription though...)


The linking practices are antiquated. Being flexible and robust it is not. Just yesterday, one of the C-bridges went out on the DMR-MARC network and wiped out quite a large portion of folks. That cuts off all the peered repeaters behind that bridge..

 

http://gozasc.com/shop/ made the Palmetto rendition, his brother is on here
I had a local shop print those up. if i had to do it again id get one of the following
http://www.cafepress.com/mf/38798424/oval-simplex-sticker_magnets?productId=1017001219
http://www.cafepress.com/mf/83920509/14652-ham-radio-2-meters-calling_sticker?productId=1025338821
and APRS just for fun
http://www.cafepress.com/mf/8392282...porting-on-board_sticker?productId=1026521388

 

I just ordered the second one down from Cafe Press. Now I have to get my equipment installed in the new (to me) Tacoma. The sticker will look good on my cap.

 

Got my Tech in October and have my Yaesu FT-2900 mounted in my truck with a Larsen glass mount antenna. KM4EVO

 

Congrats and welcome to the club/thread!

Also, you may want to check out 4x4ham.com, I noticed K4CLC posted that he lived in the same town as you. Might find some new offroad buddies and someone local to help with any ham needs.

http://www.4x4ham.com/showthread.php?1249-not-many

 

He is. In fact that's my dad haha. He doesn't have that call anymore, he changed it to AF4CC

 

Try this for hams in your zip code. http://www.radioqth.net/ziplookup I found a few that I didn't know were hams!

 

Finally received my license and call sign from the FCC. Picked up a

$18 Baofeng UV5R BAOFENG UV-5R VHF/UHF Dual Band Radio 144-148MHz 420-450MHz Transceiver

Baofeng UV5R handheld to get started. Need to get a better antenna..

 

That's to funny! I guess you know the guy That is still his username on 4x4ham.com, or maybe his signature from an old post.

Congrats. Yes, go get a new antenna and start saving up for a better radio. I am not a big fan of the Baofengs, but they are allowing people to get a radio that might not otherwise have been able to afford one. My first was a wouxon, not much better, and now I am letting a buddy use it.


Looks like the Yeasu FT-60 is down to ~$150 if anyone is looking for a decent HT.

 

Recommend any particular brand or type of antenna?

 

That is as loaded of a question as asking someone on here to recommend a bumper or sliders. Most people seem to like a certain brand. The wuoxon I have is a decent radio but suffers from the same Chinese programming issues the Beofangs suffer from. Chirps helps for programming, but in the field, a quick change can be a PITA. The Yeasu FT-60 radios seem to be every where. The last two classes I was in, over 50% of the HTs were FT-60s. Decent price and it simple works.

I saved up for a few years and bought a Kenwood THD-72a HT, but that is a high end and pricey radio. I wanted the APRS function with an AvMap G6 GPS unit. I am also planning on using it for winlink, so packet mode was important too.

There are tons of HT that fall right in the middle of the FT-60 and THD-72a on both price and features. I suggest going to your local HRO and playing with them. Also, keep an eye out for local hamfests. People are always selling off an HT that they don't need anymore.